Indefinite Dangers
by xenolith
Summary: Charlie and Claire are trapped in a mudslide when a monsoon hits. And on the beach, a murderer unveils himself on the island.
1. Chapter 1

"Indefinite Dangers"  
By: Xenolith  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Romance, Drama, AU  
Spoilers: Up to "Walkabout", but the name of the French lady is revealed from the episode "Solitary", but there are no direct spoilers from "Solitary", which makes this kinda an AU…  
Pairings: Charlie/Claire  
Warnings: Violence  
Description: Charlie and Claire are trapped in a mudslide and a murderer appears on the island.  
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Arg.  
A/N: I love Charlie/Claire, so, here's my dedication to them!

* * *

Chapter I 

It was going to rain… Claire could sense it. Her blue eyes turned upwards to the sky, peering behind the dense canopy hanging over her head, staring at the dark clouds rolling overhead. She then glanced back at the young lady a distance away. Lynn. She had decided to volunteer on the trip and trek with them into the forest on the hunt for a food source. Claire looked over to her side and saw Charlie a few feet away sifting through a bush, searching for traces of anything edible. He hissed as a branch sliced his finger and then started shaking his hand vigorously, hoping to cast the pain away. He glanced over at Claire and smiled uneasily.

"I don't think we're going to find anything around here…" He muttered, crestfallen. He then started to root around another bush… a dead looking bush.

Claire sighed and nodded. She took a few steps towards the dejected musician and looked up a nearby tree for any potential fruits. "I think you're right… This place is barren. I just hope the other group finds something…" She suddenly felt a raindrop fall onto her forehead. She blinked her eyes and looked at Charlie who was busy glaring at the shrub. "I felt a raindrop..."

Charlie tore his eyes away from the plant and shrugged. "I haven't felt anything…"

Just then they were blinded by a torrent of water. They heard Lynn scream in surprise and the woman spun around to stare at them through the dense downpour. She yelled out to them, but they couldn't hear her over the roaring shower. Charlie threw his hands over his head, even though it provided little shelter, and then ran over to Claire, who was mouthing 'I told you so'. Charlie then grabbed her hand and started to lead her back down the path towards the beach.

Claire was freezing already. The raindrops felt like cold steel against her skin. Her hair and clothes were already plastered to her quivering body and her eyes were blinded by the rain. She was comforted by the warm grip Charlie had on her hand. She smiled and glanced over at him.

Charlie was beginning to panic. He had glanced back to see if Lynn was keeping up. She was gone. 'Where is she?' He thought and then briefly wondered if he was leading Claire in the wrong direction and Lynn had gone down the right path towards the shore. He shook his head. 'No… we passed that rock before… this is the right way… Where'd Lynn go then? …Damn monsoon. We never had these problems in England…'

Charlie's eyes then spotted a dark opening in a rock face to his far right, shrouded between a few leafy plants. He nudged Claire and motioned towards the cave. Claire looked over at the cavern. It would help them wait out the storm. She nodded in agreement and then Charlie led her to the shelter. The both ran into the grotto. It was immediately quieter than the deafening torrent outside. Claire shivered involuntarily. She was freezing. The cold water in her clothes wrapped around her like a blanket and chilled her to the bone. Charlie noticed her shaking and instinctively wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hoping to warm her up. "Are you okay?" He asked, concerned for her health.

Claire nodded slowly, assessing her condition. "Yea… yea, I'm fine. Just a little cold." To tell the truth, she felt cozier with Charlie's arm around her, but she didn't want him to let her go.

Charlie held her closer to him. He then glanced outside at the solid wall of falling water that was cascading from the top of the cave. He frowned. "I hope it stops raining soon… The other group might still be out there."

Claire nodded and then looked at Charlie with her crystal blue eyes. "Do you think Lynn's going to be alright?"

Charlie looked uncertainly back out at the monsoon. He had a sinking feeling that Lynn was lost somewhere out there. But he nodded. "Yea, she'll be fine."

Claire didn't hear the conviction in Charlie's voice, but smiled anyway, feeling better by just being held in his embrace. But her solace didn't last long.

They heard a horrible rushing sound, like two tractors in a tug-of-war match. Claire froze and paled, terrified of the noise. Charlie looked around, trying to figure out what it was, but just as quick as the noise came, so did darkness.

End of Chapter I

* * *

A/N: I'm putting "Fantasy Island" on hold for a while, since my ability to write it has seemed to slip away, so, I am working on three other fics in the mean time. I hope you like this one! 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Jack was starring out at the blinding downpour from under the safety of his med-tent, but he feared the blue tarp over his head would cave in at any minute under pressure. He wondered how a rainstorm of this magnitude could just occur without warning, but he cast the thought aside as one of the many mysteries of the island.

Jack's thoughts then turned to the three groups that had ventured out to find food. They had left knowing that they couldn't just live off of boar meat for the rest of their lives.

And they hadn't returned yet.

Jack looked out towards the jungle and furrowed his brow. The thought of being lost in that tangled mass of trees because of the storm was enough to send shivers down his spine. He just hoped that everyone had found some shelter from the elements and were safe from harm.

* * *

Claire screamed she saw what looked like the mouth of the cave collapse. She took several panicked steps backward and almost fell over, but Charlie's strong grip on her shoulders kept her upright. Darkness had enveloped them and Claire couldn't see anything. She gripped Charlie's shirt tightly, terror coursing through her. She didn't want to be trapped in a cave forever, even if it was with Charlie. 

Charlie was just as shaken as Claire. He stared speechless at the opening of the cave. Light had been streaming in a few seconds ago, but now the light was gone. Charlie took a few steps forward with Claire at his side and moved his hand towards the last spot he saw the mouth of the cave. His hand was met with moist dirt and rock. Charlie drew his hand back and looked at Claire… or to where he thought Claire was.

"I think we're trapped here," He said, stating the obvious.

Claire pulled herself away from Charlie, suddenly feeling sick. Trapped? "What?" She whispered in disbelief. "How?"

Charlie shrugged and pushed against the solid wall of damp dirt and frowned. He shook his head, even though he knew Claire couldn't see the gesture. "I think… it was a mudslide. Not sure though. I've seen them on the news before in places like Indonesia and Japan."

Claire felt like crying. "That doesn't help."

Charlie furrowed his brow, channeling Claire's intense distress. "I know… but I thought it was interesting." He then moved towards Claire and tentatively touched her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "I'm sure the others will find us soon… once the rain stops."

Claire nodded in silent agreement and leaned against Charlie. She hoped it wouldn't take that long.

* * *

Shannon tripped over a root. She cried out in alarm and flung her arms out, catching a nearby tree branch. She held back another cry as the rough bark dug into her soft palms. She muttered curses at the world and then corrected her balance. She sniffed and ran a hand through her bedraggled hair. God, what she wouldn't give for a bottle of conditioner. 

Shannon glanced up at the sky, peering through the dense canopy of trees. Some stray raindrops were still dripping from the drenched leaves and onto her face. She sneered with disgust and looked back to Kate and Michael, who were arguing about which direction the beach was. Shannon's frown deepened.

Her day was getting better and better.

Now they were lost. What did that make them… double lost? Lost twice over? Two times lost?

First, she had decided to go on this godforsaken nature hike to find some food. Second, it had started to poor down rain and her dress had gotten torn as she ran for cover. Third, she had to share shelter with two sweaty, smelly wet people. And fourth, she had just stubbed her two and it ached painfully. Her eyes scrunched up compulsively with repressed anger. How could this happen to her? Why did everything awful in the universe focus on her specifically? Was she vile in a past life? Shannon pondered these questions as a banana fell on her head. She winced and stared at the offensive fruit before looking up. And right there was a banana tree. And for a second, she smiled.

It wasn't until that night that they finally managed to stumble back to the beach. Kate and Michael had finally managed to come to an agreement and they had gotten back. Along with them came a huge haul of bananas. However, their joy and relief was quenched when they were informed that one of the groups was missing. Charlie, Claire, and Lynn hadn't come back yet. Sayid, Locke, and Greg had returned about an hour before Shannon, Michael, and Kate had reached the beach. They hadn't found anything except for a few berries. Now, everyone was on the alert, ready to start formulating search parties for the three missing survivors.

Jack paced around in circles. Worry was conquering all his rational thought. He kept looking up at the jungle, concerned for the safety of the missing group. He ran his hands over his face with controlled frustration. He knew this would happen. Why didn't he stop them? He then remembered that they had wanted to go and that they needed food.

'_But at least I should've stopped Claire. She needs to be safe and needs to relax… not be lost out in the woods with who knows what,'_ Jack thought guiltily. He returned to pacing and wondering whether he should run out there and try to find them. He looked back to the jungle and saw that it was utterly dark. He knew it would be suicide to go in there at night… so he did the only thing he could.

Wait.

* * *

His steel eyes surveyed the starlit shore. His mind was mulling over how to do it. Clean and calculated or animalistic and random? He spotted a youthful girl with long black hair walking down the shore by herself, holding her sandals in her hands. He blinked, registering his target, before getting up from the sand and approaching her. 

End of Chapter II

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A/N: Yay! I finished! Sorry it's so short, but I'm juggling three fics at once and then I have school work too and a buncha other stuff. Ack! I hope you like this chapter! Sorry again for the length! :) And I'm sorry there is not that much Charlie/Claire in this chapter! I'm trying to incorporate the other character too, so, it won't focus completely on them, but mostly on them. 

**Tristic** – I'm glad you like this fic too! Currently I am also working on "Fantasy Island" Chapter 4, so, stay tuned!

**Suspencer** – Thank you! Glad you like it!

**Cas85** – Thanks for the comment about detail! I'll try to add some more! :)

**Celebrean** -- Yea, I know it's short, but I hope to make the chapters longer later. And another good comment about the detail! Thankies! :)

**ALS** – Wow! Thank you!

Obligatory Author Statement: "Please Review!" :)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

Charlie was leaning against the wall of the cave, not caring that it was cold, not caring that he was wet, not caring that he was hungry… all he cared about was Claire. He could hear her crying softly right next to him. She had submitted to the fact that they were lost out in the jungle… and that it would take days for the others to find them.

Charlie opened his mouth to say something, but knew that it wouldn't help her feel any better. It would most likely make her feel even worse. His attempts to comfort her would only lead her to believe that they were truly in a bad situation. And Charlie couldn't say that lie to himself either. He knew they were stuck, probably for a long time, and no matter how optimistic he tried to turn his thoughts, the darkness that surrounded them in the cave only brought the cold pessimism back.

Charlie wrapped his arm around Claire's shoulders and pulled her closer to him, hoping to keep her warm. She responded by clutching onto his shirt, a suddenly feeling of safety washing through her.

"They have to find us," Claire whispered, her voice cracking. "They have to."

Charlie nodded even though he knew Claire couldn't see his acknowledgement. "Yeah… they have to."

* * *

Hurley was walking down the beach, casting glances over his shoulder at the group cluttered together a couple hundred yards back. They were all organizing search parties to go and look for Charlie, Claire, and Lynn. Hurley had decided to silently escape the meeting and take a thoughtful stroll down the shore. He didn't want to be elected to go on a search party. He was worried about Charlie, Claire, and the other girl, but he didn't want to go through that jungle. He turned his eyes to the dense trees and frowned. He was scared of what was there. He didn't want to risk it… and he felt guilty for it.

Hurley looked at all the wreckage strewn about the beach. He shook his head, marveling at the fact that so many of them survived the horrific accident. But his thoughts screeched to a halt when he saw a deep red stain on the white sand. His eyes followed the crimson blotch to a body. A bloody body. The bloody body of a young woman.

Hurley felt the warmth drain from his face and he began to feel dizzy. Darkness was creeping in on the edges of his vision. He turned towards the group far away and made an attempt to cry out.

"B-B-Body!" He wailed weakly before falling forward, unconscious.

He fainted.

* * *

Word was out by now. Everyone had come running to the site of the ghastly murder: the sliced up corpse of the young woman. Her name was Jill. Hurley had come to an hour after he found the body. He was still shaken up and pale. He was sitting by the fire, feeling useless and like a coward. Kate went to go comfort him while everyone else discussed the attack.

Jack frowned at the site of the white sheet now covering Jill. He took a deep breath. This was all they needed. Another death. Another problem. Now everyone had to face the more horrifying truth about being stuck on a deserted island, that there were strangers everywhere. Any number of them could be murderers, rapists, maniacs, or child molesters.

Boone was standing right next to Jack, staring at the corpse. "What are we going to do?" He asked Jack is a wavering voice. "Are we going to find out who did this?"

Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Yes," He stated bluntly. He was determined to find the killer and bring him to justice. To make him pay for what they did to this youthful girl… But he didn't know where to start.

Sayid was standing a few feet away, a grim expression over his face. "We should investigate."

Jack and Boone looked over at him curiously. Sayid continued on, "We need to make a list of everyone who has a weapon with them. Then, we need to make sure that no one has anything that can potentially kill another person."

Jack nodded. "To take all the knives on the island and lock them away somewhere. Good idea."

Sayid nodded and turned away, ready to start searching.

Jack turned back to Boone. "You need to start looking for Claire, Charlie, and Lynn. I'm going to help Sayid. I'm counting on you to find them and bring them back safe." Jack then turned and followed Sayid.

Boone nodded mutely and looked around for Locke and Greg, the two guys who were also going to look for the missing. He found them and headed their way. He only hoped that he didn't fail.

* * *

Shannon was staring out at the horizon, a faded look in her eyes. Everything had started turning around. They had found some food. It was getting better. But now everythingwas falling to ruin.Claire, Lynn, and Charlie were lost, a dead body was found, and what was worse was that she was murdered in a brutal, animalistic way with a blade. Shannon wrapped her arms around her body, feeling suddenly insecure and cold. She looked over her shoulder at everyone else on the beach. She hoped they found the killer soon. She didn't want to stay out in the open knowing that there was a sicko out there.

* * *

The steel eyes glittered happily. He had gotten away with it. He looked down at his clean hands. He had washed away all the evidence in the sea, but unfortunately he had to discard the blade. It was too risky to have with him. He had chosen the perfect person to frame for his crime too. The one everyone hated. He had slipped the bloody knife into his luggage.

The man looked over his shoulder at the crowd of people gathered around, talking about his art. He felt a glimmer of pride. It only made him upset that he couldn't let them know it was really him. No. Not until he was done.

His eyes looked around for his next target. He immediately spotted her. A young, blonde girl who was staring out at the ocean; she was utterly alone.

And scared.

He nodded to himself and yanked on a piece of twine between his hands. He would do it tomorrow night. He smiled to himself and walked towards the group, molding a worried and scared expression on his face, pretending to be as nervous as the rest of them.

* * *

A/N: SORRY!! It took forever to write this. I've been busy with everything holidays! XD I'm also busy writing some other fan fictions. Woot! So, stay tuned! And the next chapter will have more Charlie/Claire! I promise!!

**Celebrean** – I love Sawyer too! Don't worry, he'll be in this story! He has to be! Trust me! XD

**Evermore** – Glad you like it so far!

**Anaia** – Charlie/Claire is the cutest! I'm glad you consider me good enough to be on your favorites list! XD Sweet! Thanks! I'm kinda a Jack/Kate fan! They are so adorable, and I'm writing a fic with them right now! But most of the time I ship Sawyer/Kate. I love them both! XD

**Szhismine** – I'm continuing! Albeit slowly! Lol! Bear with me! XD

**Cas85** – Yay! I guess it's good I'm not focusing! XD I can't focus on a couple characters, since I like to try and include them all. So far Locke, Michael, Jin, Sun, and Walt haven't appeared in my story at all, but that will soon change. Walt will actually become pretty prominent soon! XD

**Tristic** – I updated! I'm not dead… yet! XD


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: JEEZ! I have been lazy. I've been busy with school and stuff. Arg. But that doesn't excuse just blatantly LAZINESS! (kicks self) Okay. That's better. Here's the next chapter! It's longer than the last ones to make up for utter laziness on my part (if anyone is still reading this… lol) This chapter has a lot of stuff about the murder mystery in it. And there is an OC character death… again. XP It's to add to the pace of the story! Ick. Aaaand Sawyer makes an appearance! Do the dance of joy! XD I'm trying to get everyone into this story so, there you go. It's not primarily focused on Charlie/Claire. They're a subplot in the plot. XD

* * *

Chapter 4 

Torture. That was the word that kept circling around in Claire's head. It accurately described what being stuck in a cave was like. She was freezing and her back was aching from sitting on the hard ground. She was starving, tired, and terrified; yet, despite her fatigue, every time she heard that distant clatter in the dark she would snap awake and alert. She was convinced that they were not alone in the cavern. That it was the monster. The thought terrified Claire. It was easy to be unaware of whatever was lurking in one of the many tunnels winding through the cave since she couldn't see but an inch in front of her face.

"Charlie," Claire weakly called out, desperate for some human contact.

Charlie turned his head to look in her direction, immediately concerned. "Yeah?"

"Please tell me we'll get out of here." Claire started to shiver. Worry was eating her alive. She looked anxiously towards him with wide blue eyes.

Charlie furrowed his brow, knowing that Claire could not see his fear and slowly wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, we'll get out of here."

Claire nodded, slightly encouraged by his words. But she knew that their chances of survival were going to grow slimmer as time slowly ticked by.

She heard the horrible noise again far down the cave and winced; Charlie's grip around her impulsively tensed. Claire knew that Charlie was just as scared as she was. A wave of sadness washed over her and she felt a tear slide down her cheek.

* * *

Jack stared intensely at the passing sand beneath his feet as he walked. His mind was busy thinking over the death. The poor woman had been shredded mercilessly by a crazed murderer with a blade. He tightened his fists; anger slowly beginning to build up inside of him. It pissed him off that they did not check for weapons before, and now someone was dead. 

'_It was preventable_,' He kept thinking to himself. '_I should've done something_.'

Jack knew that the situation was getting worse and worse by the minute. Someone was dead, there was a murderer on the island, and three people were missing… Jack brushed the back of his hand across his forehead to swipe some sweat. The stress was going to get to him one day and he would snap.

'_Maybe I already have,_' Jack thought grimly.

Jack looked up from the ground. He was following Sayid to their first suspect in the murder mystery. Sawyer. The smoking jerk was the only one who seemed to cause trouble on the island and was naturally the one they would first suspect to be the root of a problem. But was he really _that_ bad? Jack asked silently to himself. He knew the man had quite a temper, but Jack was a bit doubtful as to whether he could do something to that magnitude.

Sayid and Jack approached Sawyer who was sitting on a blanket on the sand, studiously reading _Watership Down_. Sawyer looked up at the two men who were encroaching on his personal space and narrowed his eyes.

"Hello," He greeted coldly and turned his eyes back to his book. "What can I do you for?"

Jack stared down at him with contempt. "We're going to go through your bags."

Sawyer raised his eyebrows and looked back up at the doctor with bemused eyes. "Excuse me?"

"There was a murder on the island last night," Sayid explained. "We're going to go around and search everyone for possible weapons. It's a safety precaution."

Sawyer's mood changed from defensive to irritated in a split second. "What, you think I did it?"

Jack was about to affirm Sawyer's suspicions, but Sayid spoke up first. "We're just making sure you didn't."

Sawyer relaxed a little bit, but huffed in annoyance. "Be my guest," He muttered and turned his attention back to the novel, but not before glaring at the two warily.

Jack immediately started to open one of the suitcases Sawyer had smuggled from the crash. It made him sick to think a man could be so materialistic and selfish and hoard everything for himself. He shifted though various clothing items, magazines, cigarettes, and some sunscreen. Sayid was also going through another bag; this one had some flashlights, alcohol, and a stuffed teddy bear. Sayid didn't want to venture a guess as to why that was in there. Jack moved toward a blue duffel bag. When he unzipped it he saw a couple of t-shirts and something wrapped in a black handkerchief. Jack took the item and unfolded it. His eyes widened in horror. It was a large, hunting knife... stained with blood.

"Sayid," Jack called out. He handed the blade to the other man. Sawyer wasn't paying attention to what was going on behind him, still transfixed in the story he was reading.

Sayid stared at the knife, a mix of disbelief and anger on his face. He took a step towards Sawyer and grabbed him by the arm. He forcefully yanked him to his feet. Sawyer dropped the book in surprise.

"Ow! What in the hell…" Sawyer began to cry out, but he was immediately silenced by the sight of the blood-spattered blade in Sayid's hand.

"You killed the girl," Sayid accused, his voice harsh with venom. "Bastard."

Sawyer continued to stare in shock at the weapon before glaring at Sayid maliciously. "What! - I did not! I don't know where the hell-"

Jack did not even wait for Sawyer to finish his sentence. He slammed his fist right into the side of Sawyer's face. Sayid let the southerner fall to the sand and then grabbed him by the back of his shirt anddragged him back up.

"What did you have to gain by killing the girl? Her sunscreen? Her money?!" The Iraqi asked, twisting Sawyer's arm behind him.

Sawyer was about to wipe the fresh blood from his busted lip, but stopped when intense pain flared in his shoulder as Sayid wrenched his arm. He hissed in pain, trying to control himself.

"You're crazy… I didn't kill anybody," Sawyer spat through clenched teeth. He jerked his arm as hard as he could, trying to escape, but was firmly held by the arm lock. "Let go of me." He made a move to free himself again, but Jack fist smashed into his face again and the blow knocked him unconscious.

Sayid released Sawyer and the con man fell heavily to the ground. Sayid looked at Jack who was wringing his sore hand. "I had suspected that he was the murderer," Sayid bluntly admitted.

Jack nodded, eyes unfocused, his thoughts cloudy. "Yeah, me too." All of Jack's previous doubts had been thrown aside. Jack should've checked him for weapons the first day they were on the island. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to convince himself that he was not responsible for this.

Sayid motioned to the fallen man. "What are we going to do with him? Kill him?"

Jack looked back up at Sayid and then at Sawyer. Jack slowly shook his head. "No," Jack affirmed, even though he would like nothing more than to do just that. It was not ethically right, and he could never sink to that level of cruelty. Jack pointed towards the trees sprawled out into the distance and continued, "We'll banish him... out there. That way he won't hurt anyone else."

Sayid gave Jack a look that read 'all right'. Both of the men grabbed Sawyer and hauled him away

* * *

Kate's eyes surveyed the trees and shadows. She was trying to make out any shapes that could be hidden in the brush or the darkness. Animals, monsters, bodies… Kate shook her head and rid herself of that thought. After finding the body of the pilot suspended in a tree the second day on the island, she had become terrified of the jungle. She had nightmares about the mysterious monster that lurked out here. She dreaded ever coming back, but this time three missing people needed her help. She cast a look at Locke, Greg, and Boone who were also diligently searching for Charlie, Claire, and Lynn. Locke was leading them on their search. He was really good at tracking and had followed a pair of tracks out this far, but Kate was seriously beginning to doubt that Locke knew what he was doing. 

"They were not that far from camp. What are we doing way out here, Locke?" Kate asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Locke glanced over at her. "I'm following a pair of faded footprints. They are heading off this way." He motioned ahead. "Someone was running through here."

Kate's curiosity peaked. She wondered if it could've been the monster, then Greg spoke up.

"They were probably running to find shelter. They might've strayed farther from the beach than they thought," He stated matter-of-factly and continued to look around, following Locke. Kate figured that made more sense than her perception of the events and continued to walk silently.

The search party continued to edge further into the jungle for a couple of minutes, but their trek was halted when Locke sighed wearily. Kate blinked.

"What is it?" She asked, concern etched in her voice.

Locke had stopped and was staring despondently at the muddy ground. He turned around and looked at her. "I've lost the trail."

"What?" Greg asked in disbelief. He had been following Locke for only one reason. Lynn. She was his fiancée and he had been worried sick about her since she went missing. "What do you mean you've 'lost the trail'?"

Locke motioned to the ground with a frown. "I can't seem to find it anymore… it fades out. It's like they vanished in thin air."

Kate blinked and then looked up into the canopy of trees, almost expecting to see another carcass hanging there. She was relieved to see the branches vacant. She looked to where Locke was pointing, trying to better understand the situation. He was right… there was a steady trail of imprints in the ground and then they were gone.

"Do you think they were washed out by the rain?" Kate asked. Locke nodded. He had a contemplative frown fixed on his face and he looked up towards the sky.

"Yes, I think the footsteps we found earlier survived the storm, but now it looks like they've been destroyed."

Greg paled. "What? You mean we won't be able to find them?" He asked in a shaky voice, his eyes darting all around the forest.

Kate shook her head and placed a hand on Greg's arm, attempting to pacify him. "No, we'll keep looking. We'll find them." Kate's optimistic outlook on the situation was vanquished when she heard Boone shout.

"HEY! I found… oh god…"

They all turned their attention to him. He was standing a couple feet ahead, staring into the brush.

They ran forward to see what was the matter. Their eyes landed on the sight and they stopped, frozen at the sight. Lynn was there, battered and mangled. Kate paled and her lip trembled with fear. It was just like the pilot… The monster had gotten to her. Now Kate would never get to sleep with her uncertainties confirmed. She ran a hand through her tangled hair, trying to calm her nerves.

Greg broke down into sobs and Locke was staring at the body with mixed horror and curiosity. Boone looked at the three with sad eyes.

"What about Charlie and Claire?" He asked meekly. He then looked back to Lynn, despair filling every void in his mind.

Locke sighed. "Well, I was only following one set of footprints. I didn't see three pairs, so I think they got separated."

Kate gazed at Locke with wide eyes. "You think Charlie and Claire are still out here?" She hoped they were. She prayed they were.

Locke nodded slowly and he looked around the jungle. "I just don't know where yet."

They stood for a moment. It was eerily quiet except for the distant chirping of birds and Greg's silent sobs as he held Lynn's body. Locke pointed back down the trail.

"We need to head back to the beach. We need to tell the others what we've found out here."

Kate helped Greg to his feet. He carefully carried Lynn in his arms. He kept staring at her, the same empty look in his eyes. Kate winced and fought back her own tears. It was painful seeing someone so torn up inside. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders to help comfort him as they made their way back to camp.

* * *

Charlie sat there, eyes half-open, freezing, wondering how long they'd been gone. He was in a daze, unable to think clearly through the cold and aching in his bones. He knew Claire was sleeping because he could hear her soft and steady breathing. When she was awake she was trembling and gasping unevenly. Charlie was thankful that she was allowed some peace in this terror filled situation. 

Charlie took a breath and wondered if he should sleep too, but then he heard the noise again. The horrible grinding, grumbling sound from deep inside the cave. Charlie snapped back into awareness and glanced around fretfully before his head fell into his hands. He wanted to be home. He just wanted to be home right now. He just had to convince himself not to cry. If it ever came to that, he knew that they were never going to get out of here. He would never resign himself to defeat like that. He raised his head and stared out into the inky black in front of him with a determine countenance. They would survive.

* * *

**A/N**: Yay! I finished it! (whew) There you go! I'm not dead, yet. Lemme respond to some reviewies… 

**Blizzard Wizard** – Hey thanks! I am still writing… as you can see. XD

**Evermore** – Shannon is one of my favorite characters, so, there's a clue for you. I had a great holiday! Thankies for asking! XD It was awesome to get off school for two weeks! W00t!

**Tristic** – Hey! Yes, I am not dead! I'm glad you like my fic so far! I'm trying to keep it entertaining. Warn me if it starts getting bad then, mmkay?

**Cas85** – Okay, here's the update! It was… kind of delayed. Sorry! (winces) But this chapter is 2,293 words! (hopes that makes up for the delay)


End file.
